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The Republican National Committee (RNC) has sought to make inroads with Asian Pacific American (APA) voters and other minority communities ahead of the upcoming midterm elections this fall, investing millions to open centers around the country to engage, hear the concerns, and win votes from the APA community.
Earlier this week, the RNC opened its latest APA community center in Issaquah, a city in King County, Washington, that according to recent U.S. census bureau records has a nearly 25% Asian population.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Nainoa Johsens, an RNC spokesperson and director of Asian Pacific American Media, said the RNC has “invested millions” in reaching out and engaging with Asian Pacific Americans ahead of the November elections.
“Under the leadership of Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, the RNC has invested millions in authentically engaging with Asian Pacific Americans,” Johsens said. “The GOP’s message is resonating because Republicans are focused on the issues that matter to Asian American families like out-of-control inflation and violent crime that have particularly affected AAPI communities.”
REPUBLICANS WELCOME MINORITIES INTO DIVERSE PARTY CELEBRATING SHARED VALUES
Conrad Lee, the former Mayor of Bellevue, Washington, speaks at the RNC’s opening of the Issaquah community center on August, 31, 2022. Lee was the first Asian American mayor of Bellevue.
(Republican National Committee)
“Our Asian Pacific American community centers in Issaquah and across the country will bring our commonsense message to more AAPI voters and because of these investments, the GOP will take back the House and Senate in November,” he added.
RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel has also championed the effort, saying the latest community center that opened in Washington “underscores the Republican Party’s ironclad commitment to engaging with the Asian Pacific American community” in Issaquah.
“Democrats have taken APA voters for granted for far too long — we want to put down roots in this community, have a conversation, and earn your vote,” McDaniel said amid the opening of the facility. “We look forward to working together to create a better future for our children here in Washington and across the country.”
Ronna McDaniel, chair of the Republican National Committee, photographed in her Michigan home.
(Nick Hagen/Getty)
Prior to the opening of the center in Issaquah, the RNC also opened other facilities to engage with minority American communities, including two in California, one in Berkeley Lake, Georgia, one in Coppell, Texas, and another in Las Vegas, Nevada.
REPUBLICAN PARTY FOCUSES ON ASIAN AMERICAN VOTER RECRUTIMENT AHEAD OF MIDTERMS
In addition, the RNC launched the Republican Civics Initiative, which is targeted towards minorities and is designed to help future voters prepare for the civics portion of the naturalization test.
As of late last month, trainings from the initiative were ongoing for Indian American lawful permanent residents at the community center in Coppell, according to a tweet from the RNC’s head of Indian American engagement in Texas.
Rep. Young Kim, a Korean American serving as Republican to represent California’s 39th Congressional District in the House, said in a statement to Fox News Digital that “more Americans of all backgrounds” are choosing to side with Republicans due to economic burdens and concerns over public safety.
“Americans across the country are feeling the impacts of economic and public safety crises from rising living costs to increasing crime hurting consumers and small business owners,” Kim said. “The Republican Party is the Grand Opportunity Party that is working on pro-growth policies to make life affordable, keep communities safe and ensure future generations can pursue their American dream.”
Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif., listens during a press conference to discuss possible federal funding for the Orange County Intelligence Assessment Center in Santa Ana, CA on Wednesday, August 31, 2022.
(Paul Bersebach/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images)
“That is why we see more Americans of all backgrounds joining the Republican Party,” she added. “As one of the first Korean American women to serve in Congress, I am working to ensure we continue to grow our party and protect our freedoms.”
A source familiar with the opening of the latest community center in Washington told Fox Digital that the RNC opened the facility “because Washington has competitive House and Senate races that could flip both chambers of Congress and a large and growing Asian American population that has not been contacted by Democrats.”
The source said the RNC’s work in the state is meant to elevate support for Washington 8th District GOP nominee Matt Larkin and Washington GOP Senate nominee Tiffany Smiley as it the group seeks to “end the radical Biden agenda.”
Asian American Pacific voters attend the opening of the RNC’s Issaquah community center in Washington on August 31, 2022.
(Republican National Committee)
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In May, which is Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, the RNC launched a five-figure digital and print ad campaign targeting minority voters.
According to Pew Research Center, Asian Americans are the fastest growing group in the U.S., currently making up close to 7% of the population, and are a target of both Democratic and Republican leaders as potential voters in the contentious midterm elections.
